2013 gmc yukon Model Overview

Overall Rating:

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3 of 5

Sum Up

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Old-school sport-utility defines the 2013 GMC Yukon. The strong Sierra pickup platform sits under the Yukon. The Yukon is a bruiser, massive, and nearly overweight. Conveniences, however, are in the modern category. It is a well-optioned truck, and will act like a truck. However, the years have brought increased refinement, particularly to inside appointments.

IntelliChoice says the 2013 GMC Yukon is a 2013 Best Bet. That rating means it is projected to have the lowest overall operating cost in this segment. Several trim levels exist: SLE, SLT, Hybrid, Denali, and Denali Hybrid. The base price range is a bit stout at $41,500 to $64,000. Though the design is getting tired, the competence of the Yukon for its intended duties is well developed. The Yukon is a near cousin to the Chevrolet Tahoe.

Exterior

The 2013 GMC Yukon personifies critical mass. It is a brute, nice-looking, big truck with a mild face. GMC calls it a commanding presence. There is no argument with that. Opening the hood reveals the engine nested back in the bay, partially hidden under the cowl. The front is about three feet back of the grille. It could be a mechanic’s nightmare.

With the bland front end and the aging design, the 2013 GMC Yukon looks more and more like yesterday. The odd headlights, which are rounded rectangles, take up the entire front corner of the fenders. The rear end is perkier, with uplift aft of the wheel housing. Taillights are handsome, with three round lights under a red or clear plastic cover. The short Yukon looks lumpier than long version, whose proportions are easier on the eyes. The most attractive grille design has perforated chrome, much better than the black bars, even with chrome added to the doors.

Interior & Cargo

Standard dash electronics use the tired green digital text typical of General Motors for years. The visual transports back to the ’90’s. Six round dials, two large and four small, have a traditional, dated look. There are optional digitized dials. Frankly the white on black standard dials look better. Between the front seats the center section features a raised block at the rear. It houses rear passenger entertainment and climate controls. While almost intrusive in the front, quiet kids are less intrusive.

Third-row bench seats come standard. First and second rows can be configured to seat two or three people. Flexibility is built in. The 2013 GMC Yukon offers plenty of room for cargo and passengers. The short version does not have much cargo space when all seats are in place, but lay down the seat backs and the vistas increase. Headroom and legroom are just fine. The steering wheel lacks telescoping adjustment. Touch-screen navigation and DVD are available, as is leather wrap for the column-mounted shift stalk and the steering wheel. Rear seats can be heated. Front ones can also be ventilated and power adjustment is available. Up to nine people can climb aboard.

Safety

How to feel invincible: pilot a 2013 GMC Yukon. Its size, stance, and weight give a security not found in lesser modes of transport. SUV’s in general are getting more luxury safety touches. The Yukon Denali model follows the trend: blind-spot-detection system, ultrasonic rear parking assist, and a tire-pressure monitoring system. If a car intrudes, the blind-spot-detection system activates an amber light on the outside mirror. Front and side curtain airbags (overhead airbag included), anti-lock brakes, and traction and stability control are standard. The basic warranty is three years or 36,000 miles.

Technology GM calls Stabilitrak helps maintain control of vehicle and trailers. It includes Proactive Roll Avoidance, Electronic Sway Control, and Hill Start Assist. For bleak winters and oppressive summers a remote start system gets the Yukon comfortable. For more pampering, a heated, power-adjustable steering wheel is available. Disc brakes are on all four corners. Headlamps sense dusk and awaken themselves. NHTSA Crash-Test results give the 2013 GMC Yukon SLE five of five stars in every capacity, except three stars for rollover resistance and four stars for the overall category. It is reasonable to assume all models would be similar.

Driving Experience

Conquer snow. Conquer mud. Conquer rain. Conquer buzzing swarms of small cars. Yes, the 2013 GMC Yukon is a commanding presence. Highway cruising is excellent. A quiet cabin and bump-smoothing suspension make the miles flow. For a big guy, the 39-foot turning circle is compact. Steering is less than precise, so the Yukon isn’t particularly agile in close quarters and on narrow streets. Put a trailer behind it, though, and it settles right down to business. Cruising and hill climbing don’t even make it breathe hard. The optional, powerful, 6.2-liter, V-8 (shared with the Cadillac Escalade) does the trick. A nine-inch ground clearance makes child’s play of rough surfaces or deep snow.

The Yukon standard engine is a 5.3-liter, gasoline V-8. The previously mentioned 6.2-liter can tow 8500 pounds. However, it will gulp fuel doing so. Another option is a 6.0-liter V-8/electric-hybrid power plant. Towing and hauling capacity are not better, but it will save three to six miles per gallon. With normal mileage 13–20/18–23 mpg city/highway, that is significant. All the V-8 engines have GM’s Active Fuel Management, which idles four-cylinders at cruising speed. This allows GM to claim the Yukon has better fuel economy than any large SUV. The standard, 5.3-liter V-8 is a FlexFuel engine. It can use gasoline, E85, or blends of both. Transmissions come in four-speed or six-speed automatic, or a continuously variable setup.

Key Competitors For The 2013 GMC Yukon

2013 GMC Yukon Pricing

Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price

$41,760

Certified Pre Owned Pricewhat is this?

$29,775

Certified Pre-Owned Price is the approximate price a consumer can expect to pay at a dealership for a used vehicle that has passed the manufacturer's certification process. This price applies only to vehicles covered under an automaker's CPO program, not to a dealership's own "certified" used price.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GMs number for this recall is 14515.

Units Affected

106307

Recall ID#13V001000 - POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Consequence

As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible vehicle crash and/or injury.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463.

Units Affected

54686

Recall ID#13V001000 - STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

Consequence

As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible vehicle crash and/or injury.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463.

2013 GMC Yukon News and Reviews

Last time we saw GM's full-size SUVs, the camouflage looked like an ill-fitting black sweat suit. In these new spy shots, the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, and GMC Yukon XL now sport tight-fitting swirly camo that shows off more of their physique. We've embedded a video showing the Chevrolet and GMC SUV prototypes at the bottom of this…

Multiple Chevrolet and Lexus vehicles are featured on IntelliChoice’s 2013 Best Bets list, which features vehicles projected to have the lowest cost of ownership in different segments. Of the 15 models listed, General Motors and Toyota had five models each while Acura, Audi, Lincoln, Porsche, and Subaru each had one.The vehicles were evaluated against other 2013 models already on sale…

The GMC Yukon / Yukon XL family of full-size SUVs, including the premium Yukon Denali and Yukon XL Denali, offer room for up to nine passengers and the capability -- and space -- to haul their cargo. With the available segment-exclusive second-row power fold-and-tumble seats, each seat unlatches, folds and tumbles out of the way with a simple, one-hand operation…

General Motors will add about 800 workers to the Arlington, Tex. production lines that make full-size SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, and GMC Yukon.It’s been a good year so far for the Arlington plant: even with the price of gas fairly high, sales of full-size GM SUVs like the Suburban and Escalade have been brisk, and…

Fun fact: the first truck to bear the GMC emblem was shown at the New York Auto Show in 1912 (pictured below). To celebrate that fact -- and the fact that 2012 marks GMC's centennial -- the brand is rolling out special-edition versions of the 2012 Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL at the 2012 New York Auto Show next week.The new…